


1932

by fantasticqueersoul



Category: Original Work
Genre: 1930s, Gay Male Character, M/M, University
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-19
Updated: 2020-07-19
Packaged: 2021-03-05 01:49:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,611
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25386337
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fantasticqueersoul/pseuds/fantasticqueersoul
Summary: The year 1932. Two men find love in one another.
Relationships: Original Male Character/Original Male Character
Kudos: 3





	1932

**Author's Note:**

> This is also posted on Wattpad on user zukixx (which is mine). English is not my first language and this isn't edited so there are bound to be mistakes.

"Oh Heaven! What is happening? Rowan?" a voice way too familiar gasped. The said man turned so fast his neck cracked and made him cringe but that was nothing compared to the way his stomach dropped at the sight of his own father. His hands flew up from the waist of the other man in front of him whom he had been just about to kiss before the door was abruptly opened. Rowan glanced at the man in front of him and barely contained his sigh as he saw how worried he looked. Gray also took his hands off the other and turned to sit more decently on the bed they were on. Rowan realized he should completely get off the other and did just that, mentally preparing himself for the lecture that was about to come.

"Afternoon", Rowan finally said as he stood up. His father looked more puzzled than ever and considering the amount of trouble Rowan had caused him throughout his whole life, this might have just been the worst. He stood quietly as his father tried to make sense of the situation at hand.

"Who is this?" was his first question. Only a second later, just as Rowan was about to open his mouth, Gray stood up and walked over to the old man with his hand held out.

"My name is Gray Harrison, sir", he introduced himself. Rowan was surprised his father even took the hand and squeezed it, possibly he could've thought Gray was filthy.

"Vicar Wilson", Rowan's father nodded. After Gray stepped back next to Rowan, the vicar only looked at Rowan. "Is this your pastime now? Instead of spending your time studying you do this! You do sin. Not only things that will only harm you but this kind of madness! How long have you been doing this? Ever since you moved to this awful dormitory away from your Mother and I?" Rowan stared at the old man with visible boredom.

"Well, to be honest: yes. Ever since I moved here. It was just too suffocating back home to be able to do anything like this, with you and Mother breathing down my neck most the time." Rowan shrugged.  
"Could you please leave?" his father turned to Gray, who quickly glanced at Rowan to get a confirmation that it was okay before telling the two good-bye and stepping out of the door next to Rowan's father.  
"I demand an explanation at once! Sit down with me and talk, son. Who led you to this kind of behaviour?" Rowan's father walked over to the tiny dining table that was right next to a small window. Rowan followed his actions and sat down opposite his father.

"I led me into this, Father", a silence followed his words, indicating that his father wanted Rowan to continue. "What can I say?" Rowan asked rhetorically.

Only a month before he had moved out of his childhood home to study in London. It had felt like a breath of fresh air to get away from his overbearing parents although where he lived now was not nearly as put-together as his childhood home. His parents hadn't ever had much money so he was used to it by now but still visiting some of his new friends' flats and rooms made him feel a little ashamed of the tiny room he had and the worn-down pieces of furniture he had managed to gather.

His university experience hadn't been boring even at the start. Rowan knew how to make people like him. He knew people very well after seeing how his father treated people his whole life. The biggest difference was that Rowan didn't want to turn people into his religion like his father did. As his father was the Vicar of a rather small town in Southern England Rowan was expected to take the same path as his father. As a young boy he was rather certain he was going to be a Vicar himself one day but as he grew older he realized how little he actually cared if there was someone up there looking over the entire World. With everything bad that was going on - mainly the Great War - he didn't think it was likely that someone was making sure people were safe and everything. Bringing it up to his parents wasn't easy. They weren't so open about their only son not believing in a force that had always been a huge part of their lives.

As Rowan got into his teenage years he found all kinds of ways to anger his parents. In the beginning small things were enough but with time Rowan moved onto worse things. Worse at least in the eyes of his parents. What Rowan most enjoyed doing was talking back to his teacher. She was a highly religious old lady who was more than happy to bring her own opinions and values to the subjects she taught. To be fair, it was a Christian school anyway so it was stupid to even assume the teaching would be objective, but she was really overdoing it. Telling students how God created humans as an image of himself wasn't really something that Rowan was happy about. Neither was hearing that He already knew how everyone's lives were going to go. So, naturally, he asked the lady how she knew these things. If there was a way she could prove them. Instead of getting an answer, Rowan got an angry letter to take home with him.

According to Rowan's father, catching his son being handsy with another man was just another thing he did to agitate his parents. This time, however, it wasn't the case. About a week into Rowan's time in university he went to a gathering of people where he found Gray, a man in his thirties who felt familiar even though they met for the first time there. He had felt warm, welcoming and kind. After spending the night talking to no one else but each other, the two went to Gray's flat and spent the rest of the night in only each others' company. Ever since then Rowan and Gray have been meeting up. Rowan found himself addicted to Gray. Everything about him was calling Rowan closer until he felt like he was losing his mind.

Rowan didn't know what to tell his father. He knew that nothing he would have to say to him would make a difference in the way the old man saw Rowan and his actions.

"I am disappointed in you", Rowan's father told him plainly. It wasn't the first time.

"I know you are. Why did you come here today in the first place? Did you have something to say?" Rowan asked finally.

"I was in town and wanted to see how this place looks. It seems like you don't spend much time here since you haven't made the place look very nice. Your room at home looks much better."

"Well, if you are here only to disrespect me, you are free to leave", Rowan gestured toward the door.

"Now, son. You do still want to keep us funding your studies here, don't you?" his father piped up and pointed a finger at Rowan, who groaned inwardly. After a few seconds Rowan threw a smile at his father.

"I apologize", Rowan inclined his head in a polite manner. He didn't have a clue as to how he still (occasionally) had the patience to do what his father tells him.

"I accept. Now, what am I supposed to tell your Mother? I cannot possibly tell her that you were about to lie with another man!"

"I don't know, Father. Perhaps I was drunk or on other substances. Or then I just wasn't home."

"Hm. I will think of something. I hope we will never have to see or hear about this again." The vicar stood up and straightened his coat before moving to the door. Rowan got up after him. The old man opened the door and stepped out.

"Or the next time you come you will knock before entering. And remember that if you defund my studies you'll have me back home again. Goodbye, Father", Rowan shut the door before his father had time to answer, knowing his words would bring him more trouble. Rowan made sure to lock the door this time before sighing and laying down on his bed. The bed he had been on with Gray just half an hour before. Deaf to the world outside the door, only existing in each other's worlds right there in the moment.

Not before long, there was a knock on the door. Rowan jumped up again, hoping it wasn't his father. He walked to the door with his heart beating just a little faster. He opened the door enough to see out to the hall and he almost let a sigh out. It was Gray, looking more worried than he should've. Rowan let the man in and didn't waste time before pressing their lips together again. Gray laughed, breaking the kiss before it got more heated.

"How did it go? he asked and kept Rowan away from his lips by holding his face in both of his hands. After a few seconds of struggling Rowan gave up and sighed. He never had liked talking about his parents.  
"As well as it could've, I suppose", he muttered. Gray's thumbs started rubbing on his cheeks with compassion. Damn, it wasn't like he had to behave around his parents anymore. They didn't care about Gray's life anymore that much, not when he was over thirty already.

"You didn't tell me your father was a vicar", Gray's eyes sparkled with humour as he looked at the younger man who groaned and let his face fall onto Gray's shoulder.

"Well now you know. I just don't usually tell people that because they'll most likely get the wrong impression of me", Rowan explained and circled his arms around Gray's back.

"I don't think any differently of you now, though. Not in a bad way, anyway. I think it's rather hot that you're such a sinner." Gray's words made something stir inside Rowan. He raised his head enough to make eye contact with Gray and he was right to expect the spark in his eyes.

"Only for you", Rowan whispered because he physically couldn't contain himself. It was the first time either of them had said something like that. Rowan wasn't sure if he was just a plaything for Gray, a way to pass time, have some fun and perhaps feel young again. After a few silent seconds Rowan pressed his face against Gray's neck, already swearing at himself for saying something like that.

"Thank lord", came the reply finally, "I would perhaps die if I were to find out I would have to share you with someone." Rowan breathed out in relief as his mind made sense of the words. "Darling." Rowan hummed in reply and raised his head again only to see the impression of desperation of some sort on Gray's face before he leaned in.

The two enjoyed each other's company far more than just normal friends usually do. Not after long Rowan's other friends started to notice it, too. Instead of questions and weird looks, though, most of them only joked about it, throwing in comments about how Rowan's face lit up whenever the older man was with them - which happened surprisingly often, but then again Gray did know several people of the lot of people Rowan spent most his time with. There were some incidents where someone would prefer not to sit next to the two or didn't really look at them at all but to Rowan, it was more than perfect to have his friends not be weirded out by his relationship with Gray, even though most of them surely didn't know how deeply the two knew each other, after all.

It was when Christmas was approaching, that Rowan first felt real sorrow that he was much younger than Gray. It was all because Rowan's parents expected him home for Christmas, when all Rowan wanted was to spend the Holiday with Gray. It was made even more complicated by Gray's parents, who fulfilled their annual tradition of spending Christmas abroad and booked a cruise for three weeks at the Mediterranean. Like always, they had the whole family on one cruise ship that took sail in Marseilles on December 20th.

Rowan and Gray spent a whole week in each other's company before they parted ways for Christmas break. Those days were filled with kisses, touches and sweet, loving words towards each other. Rowan forced himself to leave his room or Gray's flat to go to his classes so he wouldn't get in trouble but other than that, they were both behind a locked door.

The last day he was supposed to spend in London brought Rowan news that were both good and bad. A letter from his parents came in the mail, stating that they 'did not mind Rowan staying in London for Christmas'. They wrote that it was perhaps the best for all their peace. Reading those words made Rowan sick in the stomach. He didn't much care about his parents' opinion but seeing it so clearly that they didn't want to see him was new. Even though Rowan had been tormenting them with his actions for years, he seemed to have crossed a line with this. It made Rowan want to go out and walk by the river Thames for hours on end.

Rowan received the letter just as he was getting back from his last class. He unfortunately didn't wait to read it but instead read it right in the hallway near the door to his room, and therefore Gray saw him with tears in his eyes and his face rather blank instead of the usual vivid expressions that showed his feelings well.

"What happened?" were Gray's first words as he jumped off the bed. The papers he was working on as Rowan was gone fell out of order and some of them even landed on the floor but neither of the men concentrated on it. Gray took Rowan's chin between two fingers and searched his face.

"It's just- I got this", Rowan muttered and raised his hand that was gripping the letter. Gray hummed understandingly and turned Rowan around so that he could wrap his arms around him. Gray walked the two next to the window and pried the letter gently from Rowan's hands, silently following Rowan's reactions so that he'd know if the other felt uncomfortable.

Gray started to read. Rowan stared ahead of him for a while before turning around in Gray's arms and pressing his face against the other's neck. Gray frowned more and more as he read. When he was done, he tried to throw the letter on the table on their right but as the paper was light, it didn't follow its route and landed on the floor instead. Not that it mattered, a letter like that deserved to be burned.

"You're not alone", Gray whispered as he wrapped his arms around Rowan's shoulders. The younger man started to shake after his words, sniffling and breathing unevenly as cries rocked through his body. Gray did his best to comfort the man, rubbed his hands on his arms and sides, whispered words he hoped were comforting and kissed his head. After a while it was only silent.

"What will I do now?" Rowan whispered into Gray's neck. He felt Gray take a breath before answering.

"Obvious. You'll come on the cruise with me."


End file.
